If you've been studying Spanish for a while, you've probably already tackled the preterite tense and discovered that irregular verbs can feel like a real headache. The truth is, though, that once you know a few smart strategies, the whole system starts to make a lot of sense. In this lesson, we'll share 7 tricks to help you master the preterite conjugations of the most common irregular Spanish verbs — and make them stick for good.

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Two Key Terms Before We Start

Before we dive into the tricks, let's quickly clarify two terms we'll use throughout this lesson: stem and ending.

Take the verb hacer (to do/make). In the preterite, the yo form is yo hice (I did/made). Now, if you remove the -e at the end, what's left — hic- — is the stem. Simply put, the stem is the core part of the conjugated verb, and the ending is what you attach to it to indicate who is doing the action:

📌 hacer → yo hice (I did/made) → stem: hic- + ending: -e

Una de las primeras cosas que yo hice en el circo es el arte de payaso.

One of the first things that I did in the circus is the art of clowning.

Caption 24, Circo Berlín Lucas - Part 2

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Keep this in mind — it's the foundation of everything that follows!

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Trick #1: The YES Trick — Yo, Endings, Stem

This is the most important trick in the whole lesson — and the name tells you exactly what to do. The YES trick stands for Yo (I in English), Endings, and Stem, and it gives you a simple three-step method for cracking any irregular preterite conjugation in Spanish.

Step Y — The Yo Form Always Ends in -E

In irregular preterites, the yo form always ends in an unstressed -e — no exceptions and no accent mark. This is your starting point every single time.

Step E — Learn the Shared Endings

Here's something that will save you a lot of time: most irregular preterite verbs share the same set of endings, regardless of whether they end in -ar, -er, or -ir in the infinitive:

• Yo (I): -e
• Tú (you): -iste
• Él/Ella/Usted (he/she/you formal): -o
• Nosotros (we): -imos
• Vosotros (you all — used in Spain): -isteis
• Ellos/Ustedes (they/you all): -ieron

Memorize these once and you can apply them to all irregular preterites. That's a big return on a small investment!

Step S — The Yo Form Unlocks the Stem

Once you know the yo form, you automatically know the stem you'll use for the entire conjugation. Just remove the -e ending and what's left is your stem. Now watch how it all comes together with the verb hacer (to do/make):

• Yo hice (I did/made) → stem: hic- + e

• Tú (you): -iste hic + iste = tú hiciste (you did/made)

• Él/Ella/Usted (he/she/you formal): -o hiz + o = hizo (he/she did/made)*

*You may have noticed that the stem changes from hic- to hiz- here. This is a spelling adjustment to preserve pronunciation. Think of the word tráfico (traffic) — notice how the c before o makes a hard k sound. If we wrote hico, the same thing would happen and the soft sound of hice would be completely lost. By changing c to z before the -o ending, we keep the pronunciation consistent.

Listen to the following clips — first a word ending in -co, then hizo — and notice how the z in hizo preserves that softer sound:

hay mucho tráfico.

there's a lot of traffic.

Caption 19, Ariana España

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pero lo que él hizo es grave.

but what he did is serious.

Caption 12, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 3 - Part 13

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• Nosotros (we): -imos hic + imos = hicimos (we did/made)

• Vosotros (you all — used in Spain): -isteis hic + isteis = hicisteis (you all did/made)

• Ellos/Ustedes (they/you all): -ieron hic + ieron = hicieron (they did/made)

See how it all comes together? That's the YES trick in action!

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Trick #2: No Accent Marks on Irregular Preterites

This is a small but very important detail that trips up a lot of learners. Regular preterites carry accent marks on the yo and él/ella/usted forms — think hablé (I spoke) and habló (he/she spoke). Irregular preterites, however, are written without any accent marks at all. So hice (I did), vine (I came), puse (I put), tuve (I had) — all without tildes. Keep this in mind and you'll avoid one of the most common written mistakes in Spanish

yo vine aquí a España hace veintitrés años. Mm...

I came here to Spain twenty-three years ago. Mmm...

Caption 13, Adriana y Laura Mijas

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Trick #3: -Iste and -Isteis Are Almost Identical

The tú ending (-iste) and the vosotros ending (-isteis) are practically the same — you just add is at the end: -iste → -isteis. Once you know hiciste (you did/made), you practically already know hicisteis (you all did/made)! And this works for every single irregular preterite — no exceptions!

René, no sabes cuánto te agradezco lo que hiciste por nosotros.

René, you have no idea how much I appreciate what you did for us.

Caption 64, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 4 - Part 2

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¿Hicisteis vuestros deberes?

Did you guys do your homework?

Caption 56, Carlos explica Tuteo, ustedeo y voseo: Ustedes y vosotros

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Trick #4: Group Your Verbs into Families — The "U & I" Rule

One of the most effective strategies for learning irregular preterite stems is to group verbs into families based on their vowel. Most irregular preterite stems fall into one of two groups — the U verbs and the I verbs:

U verbs — their stems contain the vowel u:

• tener (to have) → tuve (I had)

• estar (to be) → estuve (I was)

• andar (to walk) → anduve (I walked)

• poner (to put) → puse (I put)

• poder (to be able to) → pude (I could)

• saber (to know) → supe (I knew)

Pues, me cogí la furgoneta y estuve aquí unas semanas

Well, I took the van, and I was here for a few weeks,

Caption 42, Amaya Recordando - Part 3

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I verbs — their stems contain the vowel i:

• hacer (to do/make) → hice (I did/made)

• venir (to come) → vine (I came)

• querer (to want) → quise (I wanted)

Yo quise mostrar las dos caras de la moneda,

I wanted to show both sides of the coin,

Caption 63, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 4 - Part 1

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⚠️ Watch out! There's a small third group worth knowing — verbs like decir (to say/to tell) → dije (I said) and traer (to bring) → traje (I brought) — whose stems end in -j. These verbs drop the i in the ellos/ustedes form and use -eron instead of -ieron: dijeron (they said) and trajeron (they brought) — not dijieron or trajieron. It's a small detail but one that's very easy to get wrong, so keep an eye on it!

Oiga, ¿y usted cómo supo mi nombre? Me lo dijeron los policías.

Hey, and how did you find out my name? The police officers told me.

Captions 25-26, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 3 - Part 13

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Trick #5: Ser and Ir Share the Exact Same Conjugation

This one always surprises learners! The verbs ser (to be) and ir (to go) — two completely different verbs — are absolutely identical in the preterite: fui, fuiste, fue, fuimos, fuisteis, fueron. The only thing that tells them apart is context. The upside? You only need to memorize one set of forms for two of the most common verbs in Spanish!

y allí es donde fui a estudiar... un año, interna, mm... educación física.

and that's where I went to study... for a year, boarding, mm... physical education.

Caption 6, Mari Carmen Polanco

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sí fui muy honesto con todo el mundo,

I was indeed very honest with everyone,

Caption 14, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 5 - Part 3

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Trick #6: Learn the "Parent" Verb and You'll Know Its "Children"

In Spanish, many verbs are built by adding a prefix to an existing verb — and they always follow the exact same preterite pattern as their root verb. For example, once you know poner (to put) → puse (I put), you automatically know:

• suponer (to suppose) → supuse (I supposed)

• proponer (to propose) → propuse (I proposed)

• componer (to compose) → compuse (I composed)

The same applies to tener (mantener, obtener, contener...) and venir (convenir, intervenir...). Learn the parent verb and the whole family comes for free!

y le propuse ir a tomar algo

and I suggested to her to go have a drink

Caption 46, Aprendiendo con Silvia Frases hechas - Part 2

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Mamá Bucha mantuvo el acontecimiento en secreto.

Mama Bucha kept the event secret.

Caption 34, Leyendas urbanas Chico Largo

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Trick #7: Start with the Most Common Irregular Preterites

You don't need to learn every irregular preterite at once. Focus on the most common ones first — the verbs you'll actually use in real conversations every single day — and build from there:

• ser (to be) / ir (to go) → fui (I was / I went)

• hacer (to do/make) → hice (I did/made)

• tener (to have) → tuve (I had)

• estar (to be) → estuve (I was)

• poder (to be able to) → pude (I could)

• poner (to put) → puse (I put)

• venir (to come) → vine (I came)

• decir (to say) → dije (I said)

• saber (to know) → supe (I knew)

• querer (to want) → quise (I wanted)

y no tuve tiempo de ponerme en contacto con vosotros.

and I didn't have time to get in touch with you guys.

Caption 28, Negocios Problemas laborales - Part 2

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así que solo pudimos dar una pequeña vuelta por los alrededores

so we could only take a short stroll around the surrounding area

Caption 50, Viajando con Fermín Caravaning - Part 1

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Master these and you'll be able to communicate in the past tense with confidence in the vast majority of everyday situations. Here's a visual summary of everything we've covered today — save it and keep it handy!

You can also download this cheat sheet as a PDF — perfect for printing or keeping on your phone for quick reference!

Your Shortcut to Irregular Preterite Conjugations in Spanish

Learning the preterite of irregular Spanish verbs doesn't have to feel overwhelming. Start with the YES trick, group your verbs into families, watch out for the small exceptions, and always prioritize the most common verbs first. But remember — the real trick is practice! Try building simple sentences you can actually remember: ayer fui al cine (yesterday I went to the movies), ella no pudo dormir (she couldn't sleep), ¿qué hiciste el fin de semana? (what did you do over the weekend?). The more you use these forms in real sentences, the faster they'll stick.

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Do you have questions about any of the tricks we covered today, or would you like to share what works best for you? We'd love to hear from you — send us your comments and questions! ¡Hasta la próxima!

The present subjunctive in Spanish is one of the many verb tenses in the Spanish subjunctive mood. The subjunctive mood is one of three moods in Spanish (the indicative, the imperative, and the subjunctive) that indicates the presence of doubt, emotion, or subjectivity, in contrast to the indicative, which states facts. The focus of today's lesson will be the conjugation of the Spanish present subjunctive tense. 

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An Example of the Present Subjunctive in Spanish: 

Before going on to conjugation, let's see an example of the present subjunctive in Spanish, which typically appears after the present indicative in dependent clauses connected by a coordinating conjunction such as que (that). As a simple example, if you say, "I hope [that] you practice at home" with ustedes (plural you) in Spanish, the correct manner of doing so would be

espero que practiquen en su casa

I hope you guys practice at home

Caption 60, Lecciones de guitarra Con Cristhian - Part 3

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rather than espero que practican en su casa because the verb tense changes from the indicative (practican) to the subjunctive (practiquen) due to the "hope" regarding whether the action will take place. In another lesson, we will explore the many scenarios in which the Spanish subjunctive mood comes into play. 

Conjugating Verbs in the Present Subjunctive in Spanish

The first step in conjugating most verbs in the present subjunctive is to recall the present indicative yo (I) form of the verb. We then remove the -o in order to get the stem and add the corresponding endings for -ar and -er/-ir verbs, which we can think of as the "opposite" of the endings for each verb class in the present indicative. 

Let's use the aforementioned formula to get the stems for three of the most common regular verbs:

Now, let's look at the present subjunctive endings for -ar vs. -er/-ir verbs: 

Armed with this information, we can easily conjugate these verbs in the present subjunctive in Spanish. You will note that in the present subjunctive, the yo form and the él/ella/usted form are exactly the same.

How do we talk about an action in progress in Spanish? We use the Spanish present progressive tense, which we'll explore in this lesson.

The Spanish Present Progressive Tense

What is present progressive in Spanish? Simply put, the present progressive tense in Spanish describes actions that are unfolding as we speak, at this moment. Also called the present progressive, its English equivalent includes some form of the verb "to be" in present tense along with the gerund, or -ing form, of a verb. Some examples include: "I'm reading," "You are watching TV," or "We are eating dinner." The Spanish present progressive, which we'll learn to conjugate, takes a very similar form. 

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Simple Present vs. Present Progressive in Spanish

So, when exactly do we use the present progressive tense in Spanish? And, what's the difference between the simple present and the Spanish present progressive? This can be a bit confusing since there is some overlap in terms of their English translations at times. Let's take a look:

¿Qué hacés vos acá?

What are you doing here?

-¿Cómo qué hago? Corro. 

-What do you mean, what am I doing? I'm running.

Captions 65-66, Cuatro Amigas - Piloto

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Although, much like the present progressive, the simple present tense in Spanish can sometimes be translated into English using the -ing form to say that one "is doing" something in the present, the Spanish simple present tense is also used to describe actions one does on a habitual basis:

¿Y los sábados y domingos, qué haces? 

And on Saturdays and Sundays, what do you do?

Caption 19, Español para principiantes - Los días de la semana

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That said, if you really want to emphasize and/or remove any doubt that an action is in progress or happening at this moment, it's necessary to use the Spanish present progressive:

Silvia, ¿qué estás haciendo?

Silvia, what are you doing?

-Estoy cocinando. 

-I'm cooking.

Captions 31-32, El Aula Azul - Actividades diarias: En casa con Silvia

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In fact, this last caption is from a video by El Aula Azul that simply and clearly demonstrates the difference between the simple present tense and the present progressive tense in Spanish. 

How to Form the Spanish Present Progressive 

Now that you know when to use the present progressive in Spanish, let's learn how to conjugate present progressive verbs in Spanish. To start, let's review (or learn!) the simple present conjugation of the verb estar (to be), which will convey the idea of "am" or "are":

Yo estoy (I am)

Tú estás (You are)

Él/ella/usted está (He, she is/you are)

Nosotros/nosotras estamos (We are)

Vosotros/vosotras estáis (You are [plural])

Ellos/ellas/ustedes están (They/you [plural] are)

Next, we'll need to break up infinitive Spanish verbs into two categories, verbs that end in -ar and verbs that end in either -er or -ir, in order to form their gerunds (gerundios).

Conjugating -ar verbs in the Spanish Present Progressive 

To form the gerund for regular -ar verbs, we'll take the verb's stem (the part before the -ar) and add the suffix -ando. For example, for hablar (to talk), we take the stem habl- and add -ando to get hablando. Let's take a look at a few examples of regular -ar verbs in the present progressive tense in Spanish:

Entonces, en este momento, ¿veis?,

So, right now, you see?

está hablando con su madre por teléfono.

He's talking to his mom on the phone.

Captions 60-61, Clase Aula Azul - Información con subjuntivo e indicativo

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Eh... estoy buscando a Milagros.

Um... I am looking for Milagros.

Caption 6, Muñeca Brava - 39 Verdades

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Estamos caminando aquí en Bleeker Street

We are walking here on Bleeker Street

Caption 72, Eljuri - "Fuerte" EPK

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Conjugating -er  and -ir verbs in the Spanish Present Progressive 

Conjugating regular -er and -ir verbs in the present progressive Spanish tense is just as easy! Simply take the stem (remove the -er or -ir) and add the suffix -iendo.  Thus, for correr (to run), we have corr- plus -iendo to get corriendo, and for vivir (to live), we take viv- plus -iendo for viviendo. Let's look at a few more examples: 

¿Por qué estás comiendo basura?

Why are you eating garbage?

Caption 9, Kikirikí - Agua

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Está subiendo, está subiendo la rama.

He's climbing, he's climbing the branch.

Caption 98, Animales en familia - Un día en Bioparc: Coatís

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¿Dónde estáis vendiendo aceite?

Where are you selling oil?

Caption 1, 75 minutos - Del campo a la mesa

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Irregular Verbs in the Present Progressive in Spanish

Although the Spanish present progressive tense is arguably one of the easier verbs to learn to conjugate in Spanish, there are some irregular verbs, of course, which fall into a few categories. Let's examine those categories of verbs with irregular conjugations in the Spanish present progressive. 

1. -Er and -ir verbs with a vowel before the ending

Verbs with the endings -aer, -eer, -oir, and -uir change from -iendo to -yendo in the Spanish present progressive. Here are some examples:

traer: trayendo (to bring/bringing) 

caer: cayendo (to fall/falling)

leer: leyendo (to read/reading)

creer: creyendo (to believe/believing)

construir: construyendo (to build/building)

huir: huyendo (to escape/escaping)

oír: oyendo (to hear/hearing)

Interestingly, the present progressive form of the verb ir (to go) is also yendo:

Sí, me venía a despedir porque ya me estoy yendo.

Yes, I came to say goodbye because I'm leaving now.

Caption 90, Muñeca Brava - 39 Verdades

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2. Stem-changing verbs in the present tense (-e to -ie or -i)

Some verbs that change stems in the Spanish simple present tense also have an irregular form in the Spanish present progressive. Verbs whose stems change from -e to -ie (e.g. sentir becomes yo siento, tú sientes, etc.) or -e to -i (vestir changes to yo visto, tú vistes, etc.) tend to change stems from an -e to an -i in the Spanish present progressive as well, while maintaining the suffix -iendo. Let's take a look at some common examples:

sentir: sintiendo (to feel/feeling)

preferir: prefiriendo (to prefer/preferring) 

mentir: mintiendo (to lie/lying)

vestir: vistiendo (to dress/dressing)

seguir: siguiendo (to follow/following)

conseguir: consiguiendo (to get/getting)

3. Stem-changing verbs in the present tense (-o to -ue)

On the other hand, verbs that change from an -o to a -ue in the simple present often change from an -o to a -u in the Spanish present progressive while maintaining their regular ending (-iendo). Examples include poder ("to be able," which morphs into yo puedo, tú​ puedes, etc.), dormir ("to sleep," which becomes yo duermo, tú​ duermes, etc.), and morir ("to die," which transforms to yo muero, tú​ mueres, etc.). Let's look:

poder: pudiendo (to be able/being able)

dormir: durmiendo (to sleep/sleeping)

morir: muriendo (to die/dying) 

4. -Ir verbs that change from -e to -i in the simple present and end in -eír

Verbs in this fourth category also change from -e to -i in the simple present (e.g. reír, or "to laugh," becomes yo río, tú ríes, etc.) but also have an -e before the -ir ending. In this case, the -e is dropped, while the ending -iendo is maintained, as follows: 

reír: riendo (to laugh/laughing)

sonreír: sonriendo (to smile/smiling)

freír: friendo (to fry/frying) 

The aforementioned irregular verbs in the present progressive in Spanish by no means constitute an exhaustive list, and although the rules that dictate which verbs are irregular might seem daunting, with increased exposure to Spanish, conjugating such irregular verbs in the present progressive in Spanish should become intuitive in no time! 

Irregular Spanish Present Progressive Verbs in Action 

Let's conclude today's lesson by looking at an example from each of the aforementioned categories of irregular present progressive verbs in Spanish:

Ellos están construyendo la puerta de entrada al santuario de burros.

They're building the entry gate to the donkey sanctuary.

Caption 25, Amaya - Voluntarios

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Esa mujer nos está mintiendo y quiero saber por qué.

That woman is lying to us and I want to know why.

Caption 42, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa - Capítulo 4

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¡Aldo, tu hermano se está muriendo

Aldo, your brother is dying,

y a vos lo único que te interesa es la herencia!

and the only thing that interests you is the inheritance!

Caption 63, Yago - 3 La foto

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Se está riendo de todos nosotros.

He's laughing at all of us.

Caption 28, Los casos de Yabla - Problemas de convivencia

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That's all for today. For more information on the present progressive Spanish tense, check out our latest video from El Aula Azul on that very topic! And don't forget to leave us your suggestions and comments. 

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We all know that mastering irregular verbs like ser (to be) and ir (to go) can be tricky. Very often, however, we can take advantage of those special rules that make the learning process a bit easier. In this lesson, we will explore one of them: the ser and ir preterite conjugation!

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The Ser and Ir Preterite Conjugation 

First of all, the good news: the verbs ser and ir share the same simple past conjugation! By simple past, we are referring to what is known in Spanish as pretérito perfecto simple or just pretérito (preterite). That being said, let’s review the ser and ir preterite conjugation of these two verbs.

The Preterite Conjugation of the Verb Ser

Yo fui | I was
Tú fuiste | You were
Él/Ella fue | He/She was
Nosotros fuimos | We were
Vosotros fuisteis | You were
Ellos fueron | They were

Let's see a couple of examples:

Pensar que un día fui la respuesta

To think that one day I was the answer

Caption 15, Belanova - Tal vez

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Aprendí que los primeros en hacer cómic fueron los aztecas.

I learned that the first ones to make comics were the Aztecs.

Captions 47-48, Antonio Vargas - Artista - Comic

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The Preterite Conjugation of the Verb Ir

Yo fui | I went
Tú fuiste | You went
Él/Ella fue | He/She went
Nosotros fuimos | We went
Vosotros fuisteis | You went
Ellos fueron | They went

Did you see that? The ser and ir preterite conjugation is the same! Now, let's see a couple of examples with the verb ir:

Y sí, definitivamente fuimos a tomar un café, fuimos a cenar.

And yes, we definitely went for a coffee, went to dinner.

Caption 18, Enanitos Verdes - Luz de día

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¿Y te fuiste a vivir con tu novio con cuánto?

And you went to live with your boyfriend when you were how old?

-Con diecisiete.

-I was seventeen.

Caption 92, 75 minutos - Gangas para ricos - Part 14

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We also use the simple past conjugation of the verb ir for the reflexive form irse (to leave):

Yo me fui de la casa cuando tenía nueve años.

I left home when I was nine years old.

Caption 41, La Sub30 - Familias - Part 5

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Desde aquel día que te fuiste, supe que eras para mí

From that day on which you left, I knew you were for me

Caption 1, Andy Andy - Maldito Amor

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That's all for now. But before we leave, a short exercise for you: Write 10 sentences using the preterite of the verb ser and 10 sentences using the preterite of the verb ir. and don't forget to leave us your suggestions and comments.

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Learning how to use the Spanish verb decir (to say, to tell) is essential for everyday conversations. This common verb helps you express opinions, share information, and report what others have said. In this lesson, we'll explore the most useful forms of decir and show you how to use them correctly in various situations through real examples from native speakers.

Common Forms of the Spanish Verb Decir

One of the most commonly used forms of the verb decir is digo (I say):
 

Pero si yo digo: Yo voy en el autobús y usted va en el coche,

But if I say: I am going in the bus and you [formal] are going in the car,

Captions 49-51, Fundamentos del Español 6 - Tú y Usted

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The verb decir is frequently followed by the word que (that):

Siempre digo que tiene una energía especial,

I always say that it has a special energy

Caption 71, Amaya Recordando - Part 2

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Also remember that in Spanish you don't always need to use personal pronouns before verbs, since these are conjugated differently for each person:

Digo lo que veo.

I say what I see.

Caption 50, Muñeca Brava 7 El poema - Part 7

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Using "Dice" in Spanish Conversations

Another common form of the verb decir is dice (he/she/it says). The reason why dice is very useful is because it helps us talk about what we read or hear. For example:

Hay un letrero en la puerta que dice que ya está cerrado | There's a sign on the door saying it's closed already.

El mensaje dice que viene una gran tormenta | The message says a big storm is coming.

Mayra dice que te tienes que ir | Mayra says you have to go.

We mentioned before that it's very common to omit personal pronouns before verbs in Spanish. But you will find that the verb decir is frequently preceded by reflexive, direct, or indirect object pronouns (me, te, se, nos, os, le, les, la, las, lo) depending on what is being said and to whom. For example:

¿Quién nos dice que la vida nos dará el tiempo necesario?

Who says [to us] life will give us the necessary time?

Caption 11, Julieta Venegas El Presente

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Supongamos que un amigo me dice lo siguiente:

Let's imagine that a friend tells me the following:

Caption 44, Carlos explica Diminutivos y Aumentativos Cap 2: Definiciones generales

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Combining Pronouns with Decir

It's also important to remember how pronouns are combined when using this verb. You must place reflexive or indirect object pronouns first, and then direct object pronouns right next to the verb. In the following example te replaces an indirect object (you) and lo (it) replaces a direct object:

te lo digo de corazón

I tell you from the heart.

Caption 25, Documental de Alejandro Fernandez Viento A Favor - Part 1

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Past Tense and Common Expressions with Decir

The past tense dijo (he/she/it said) is another useful form of this verb. For example, you can use it to talk about what someone told you in the past. The expression me lo dijo (he/she/it told it to me) is worth learning:

¡Es verdad, pana, mi hermano me lo dijo!

It's true, pal, my brother told it to me!

Caption 45, NPS No puede ser 1 - El concurso - Part 3

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No le digas (don't tell him/her) and no me digas (don't tell me) are also useful:

¡No le digas, Candelario!

Don't tell him, Candelario!

Caption 14, Guillermina y Candelario La Isla de las Serpientes - Part 1

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Another fixed expression is se dice (it's said, one says), which is equivalent to dice la gente (people say):

y se dice que sus flores anuncian la llegada de buenas noticias.

and it is said that its flowers announce the arrival of good news.

Caption 29, Fermín y las plantas Dama de noche

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The same phrase, se dice, can also be used to talk about the correct pronunciation of a word, or its meaning in a different language. For example:

Buenos días se dice "bonjour" en Francés | "Bonjour" is good morning in French.
No se dice "soy contento", se dice "estoy contento" | You don't say "soy contento," you say "estoy contento" (I'm happy).

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Master the Spanish Verb Decir with Real Examples

The Spanish verb decir is one of the most important verbs to learn because it helps you express yourself and understand others in everyday conversations. By practicing the different forms we've covered (digo, dice, dijo, no digas, se dice), you'll be able to use this verb confidently in various contexts.

You can find many more examples of the verb decir in our catalog. Just type the form of the verb that you want to practice in the search tool to start learning real Spanish from real speakers in real situations!

We hope this lesson has helped you understand how to use the Spanish verb decir effectively. Have you tried using any of these expressions in your conversations? We'd love to hear about your experience with this versatile verb! Remember that mastering decir is a big step toward fluency in Spanish. If you have any thoughts or experiences to share, we're eager to hear from you. ¡Hasta la próxima, and don't forget to send us your questions and suggestions!

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The Spanish verb hacer primarily means "to do" or "to make." As one of the most versatile verbs in Spanish, it appears in countless expressions and contexts. Despite its usefulness, mastering hacer can be challenging due to its irregular conjugation and multiple applications. Let's explore the essential uses of this fundamental Spanish verb with authentic examples.

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Hacer Conjugation: An Irregular Verb

As mentioned, hacer is an irregular verb, which means it doesn't follow standard conjugation patterns. This irregularity is particularly noticeable in the preterite (past tense) where forms like hice (I did/made) and hizo (he/she did/made) appear instead of the regular pattern.

Present Tense Conjugation of Hacer

yo hago (I do/make)
tú haces (you do/make)
él/ella/usted hace (he/she does/makes, you [formal] do/make)
nosotros/nosotras hacemos (we do/make)
vosotros/vosotras hacéis (you all do/make)
ellos/ellas/ustedes hacen (they do/make, you all do/make)

Preterite (Past) Tense Conjugation of Hacer

yo hice (I did/made)
tú hiciste (you did/made)
él/ella/usted hizo (he/she did/made, you [formal] did/made)
nosotros/nosotras hicimos (we did/made)
vosotros/vosotras hicisteis (you all did/made)
ellos/ellas/ustedes hicieron (they did/made, you all did/made)

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Basic Meanings of Hacer

The first basic meaning of hacer is "to make":
 

Vamos a hacer un platillo, eh... tradicional,

We're going to make a traditional, um... dish,

Caption 64, Otavalo Proyecto familiar Kawsaymi - Part 1

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The second basic meaning of hacer is "to do":
 

¿Y ahora qué hacemos?

And now what do we do?

Caption 12, Guillermina y Candelario - Una película de terror

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Hacer in Everyday Expressions

Keep in mind that the meanings of the verb hacer as "to do" or "to make" can be used in many different situations that don't necessarily correspond to the uses of "to make" and "to do" in English. Here are some common examples:

For making a call:

te dejo que tengo que hacer una llamada importante.

I'll leave you since I have to make an important call.

Caption 66, Fermín y Manuel Los móviles - Part 1

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For asking for a favor:

¿Será que usted me puede hacer un favor? Imagínese que...

Would it be possible for you to do me a favor? Imagine that...

Caption 4, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 4 - Part 10

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For expressing that someone is causing harm:

Decir que te extraño porque me hace daño

To say that I miss you because it hurts me

Caption 3, Claudia Montoya Prisionera de tu amor

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Hacer appears in countless other expressions that might surprise English speakers:

Tú me hiciste brujería.

You put a spell on me.

Caption 38, Calle 13 - Un Beso De Desayuno

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Hacer for Time and Weather

Hacer is also extensively used in Spanish to express time or duration. It can be used to express for how long you have been doing something:
 

Tengo veinte años y estoy hace dos años acá en Buenos Aires.

I'm twenty years old and I've been here in Buenos Aires for two years.

Caption 40, Buenos Aires - Heladería Cumelen

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Or to express the concept of "ago":
 

Hace unos días me olvidé la mochila en el tren.

A few days ago I forgot my backpack on the train.

Caption 22, Raquel - Oficina de objetos perdidos

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Hacer is also used in weather expressions:
 

Hoy hace tanto viento que casi me deja caer.

Today it is so windy that it almost makes me fall [over].

Caption 22, Clara explica - El tiempo

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Hacer in Impersonal and Reflexive Constructions

Impersonal Expressions

In impersonal expressions like hacer falta (to need/be lacking):

Se puede poner entero, no hace falta quitar corteza.

It can be put in whole; it's not necessary to remove the crust.

Caption 84, Cómetelo - Crema de brócoli

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Reflexive Forms

The reflexive form hacerse is used to express pretending:

No te hagás el tonto, Ivo, por favor.

Don't play the fool, Ivo, please.

Caption 13, Muñeca Brava 45 El secreto - Part 2

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Digo si pasa algo con mi hijo, no te hagas la ingenua.

I'm saying if something is happening with my son, don't play dumb.

Caption 13, Muñeca Brava - 44 El encuentro - Part 5

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It appears in expressions like hacerse el loco (to pretend to be crazy) or hacerse el muerto (to play dead): Here is another example:

Mira, no te hagas la viva.

Look, don't play smart.

Caption 3, Yago - 3 La foto

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Additional Uses of Hacer

The Spanish verb hacer can also express the idea of getting used to something:
 

No hacerme a la idea de que esto está bien

Not to get used to the idea that this is OK

Caption 32, Xóchitl - Vida en Monterrey

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The expression hacer caso means "to pay attention," "to obey," or "to believe":

Nada, hay que hacerle caso al médico.

No way, you have to pay attention to the doctor.

Caption 63, Yago - 8 Descubrimiento

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Hazme caso que tú eres perfecta.

Believe me that you are perfect.

Caption 58, Biografía - Enrique Iglesias

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Pero yo siempre, siempre, siempre le hago caso a Sor Cachete.

But I always, always, always, do as Sister Cachete says.

Caption 35, Muñeca Brava - 44 El encuentro - Part 2

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That's all for this lesson about the Spanish verb hacer. As you can see, this versatile verb is essential for everyday communication in Spanish. Try using hacer in different contexts to become more familiar with its many uses and applications. Do you have other examples of how to use the verb hacer? Don't forget to write to us with your questions and suggestions!

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